Is Fern Hill Elementary School a good school?

Fern Hill Elementary School ranks 606 th of 1168 Washington elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Fern Hill Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 287 students attended Fern Hill Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Fern Hill Elementary School?

Students at Fern Hill Elementary School are 34% Hispanic, 23% White, 15% Two or more races, 13% African American, 9% Asian, 6% Pacific Islander.

What schools do graduates of Fern Hill Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Fern Hill Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Baker Middle School High : Mount Tahoma High School

Fern Hill Elementary School

Summary:

Fern Hill Elementary School is a public elementary school in Tacoma, Washington, serving 297 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Tacoma School District, which is ranked 152 out of 247 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Fern Hill Elementary has a diverse student population, with a higher percentage of Hispanic (34.01%) and Pacific Islander (6.06%) students compared to nearby schools. Academically, the school's performance, as measured by SBAC/WCAS test scores, is generally lower than the Tacoma School District and Washington state averages across all grades and subjects. However, the school's performance for Hispanic students is relatively stronger, ranking 108th out of 651 Washington elementary schools in 2023-2024. Fern Hill has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 39.21% to 69.02% over the past few years, indicating a high proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. The school's per-student spending is relatively high, ranging from $12,950 to $20,732 over the past few years, which is higher than the nearby Mann Elementary and Larchmont Elementary schools in the Tacoma School District.

Fern Hill's statewide ranking has declined over the years, from 559th out of 1,053 Washington elementary schools in 2015-2016 to 606th out of 1,168 in 2023-2024, with a corresponding decrease in its SchoolDigger star rating from 2 to 1. The school's performance for specific student subgroups is mixed, with relatively strong performance for Hispanic students but struggles with other subgroups, such as multi-racial students and male students. Compared to nearby schools in the Tacoma School District, Fern Hill's academic performance is generally lower, but it outperforms some schools in the Franklin Pierce School District, such as Harvard Elementary and Christensen Elementary.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

8442 S Park Ave
Tacoma, WA 98444

(253) 571-3888

District: Tacoma School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
606^th of 1,168 Washington Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $20,732

Students who attend Fern Hill Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Baker Middle School
High:	Mount Tahoma High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.4

Number of students: 287

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

33.8%

White:

22.6%

Two or more races:

15.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 71.1%

See top rated Washington elementary schools

Compare Fern Hill Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Fern Hill Elementary School ranks worse than 51.9% of elementary schools in Washington. It also ranks 14^th among 35 ranked elementary schools in the Tacoma School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46.24. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Fern Hill Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (33.8%), White (22.6%), two or more races (15%). (See more...)

Compare Details 71.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Fern Hill Elementary School is 15.4, which is the 8^th best among 35 elementary schools in the Tacoma School District. (See more...)

Compare Fern Hill Elementary School employs 18.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Fern Hill Elementary School is $20,732, which is the 18^th highest among 35 elementary schools in the Tacoma School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Fern Hill Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Fern Hill Elementary School 606^th of 1168 Washington public elementary schools. (See Fern Hill Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Tacoma School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Tacoma School District 152^nd of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Fern Hill Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Fern Hill Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile
2004	33.69	724^th	1026	29.4%
2005	30.75	757^th	1031	26.6%
2006	20.88	902^nd	1051	14.2%
2007	22.33	897^th	1069	16.1%
2008	35.14	747^th	1067	30.0%
2009	29.88	814^th	1072	24.1%
2010	41.29	682^nd	1088	37.3%
2011	41.07	678^th	1092	37.9%
2012	43.86	662^nd	1097	39.7%
2013	48.99	615^th	1106	44.4%
2015	45.39	594^th	1067	44.3%
2016	48.22	559^th	1053	46.9%
2017	44.77	598^th	1056	43.4%
2018	42.34	609^th	1054	42.2%
2019	43.86	651^st	1130	42.4%
2021	9.95	1044^th	1107	5.7%
2022	16.76	1014^th	1169	13.3%
2023	47.63	587^th	1169	49.8%
2024	46.24	606^th	1168	48.1%

See the entire list of Washington Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Fern Hill Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	16.26	225^th	252	10.7%
2024	21.28	167^th	188	11.2%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Fern Hill Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	52.95	390^th	835	53.3%
2019	61.30	340^th	979	65.3%
2022	37.91	664^th	1019	34.8%
2023	58.21	372^nd	1013	63.3%
2024	67.66	268^th	1024	73.8%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Fern Hill Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	50.79	501^st	1004	50.1%
2019	39.08	695^th	1068	34.9%
2021	13.18	938^th	1008	6.9%
2022	29.11	793^rd	1100	27.9%
2023	50.78	516^th	1094	52.8%
2024	60.86	387^th	1093	64.6%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Fern Hill Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	35.95	657^th	999	34.2%
2019	48.16	566^th	1075	47.3%
2022	10.51	1047^th	1113	5.9%
2023	43.88	591^st	1099	46.2%
2024	34.26	731^st	1099	33.5%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Fern Hill Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	48.16	48^th	110	56.4%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Fern Hill Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	48.06	263^rd	540	51.3%
2019	48.58	352^nd	697	49.5%
2022	21.48	607^th	694	12.5%
2023	56.97	247^th	633	61.0%
2024	76.27	108^th	651	83.4%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Fern Hill Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	44.53	476^th	833	42.9%
2019	50.06	539^th	1027	47.5%
2024	50.12	503^rd	1009	50.1%

See the entire list of Best Washington Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Fern Hill Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	370	105	79	10	7	n/a	n/a	571
1989	381	138	77	9	20	n/a	n/a	625
1990	368	90	74	8	8	n/a	n/a	548
1991	355	100	115	14	5	n/a	n/a	589
1992	323	111	114	12	4	n/a	n/a	564
1993	328	114	102	8	3	n/a	n/a	555
1994	337	116	90	12	3	n/a	n/a	558
1995	262	132	112	31	5	n/a	n/a	542
1996	262	132	112	31	5	n/a	n/a	542
1997	279	151	109	42	11	n/a	n/a	592
1998	256	177	122	33	7	n/a	n/a	595
1999	272	157	124	35	10	n/a	n/a	598
2000	279	132	125	59	9	n/a	n/a	604
2001	274	157	142	67	7	n/a	n/a	647
2002	250	158	146	87	6	n/a	n/a	647
2003	250	158	146	87	6	n/a	n/a	647
2004	205	146	172	92	2	n/a	n/a	617
2005	172	133	169	112	3	n/a	n/a	589
2006	178	146	173	54	3	n/a	n/a	554
2007	116	63	72	63	4	n/a	n/a	318
2008	139	69	69	91	3	n/a	n/a	371
2009	127	70	80	91	3	n/a	n/a	371
2010	138	65	82	92	4	n/a	n/a	381
2011	133	34	55	86	4	10	32	354
2012	137	44	47	91	4	12	45	380
2013	123	48	50	97	2	22	17	359
2014	119	43	49	102	1	23	27	364
2015	114	35	40	112	1	22	38	362
2016	101	32	34	98	0	20	39	324
2017	89	28	28	82	2	25	58	312
2018	77	33	26	82	1	18	69	306
2019	86	37	30	83	4	23	85	348
2020	83	28	33	85	6	24	78	337
2021	67	36	33	91	7	22	70	326
2022	61	32	32	82	3	18	50	278
2023	69	37	27	101	1	18	44	297
2024	65	38	27	97	1	16	43	287

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Fern Hill Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	571	24.0	23.7	0
1989	625	25.0	25.0	n/a
1990	548	26.0	21.0	0
1991	589	27.2	21.6	n/a
1992	564	29.0	19.4	n/a
1993	555	28.5	19.5	n/a
1994	558	29.0	19.2	n/a
1995	542	28.0	19.4	n/a
1996	542	28.0	19.4	n/a
1997	592	30.0	19.7	n/a
1998	595	30.7	19.4	n/a
1999	598	30.0	19.9	n/a
2000	604	26.2	23.1	n/a
2001	647	31.4	20.6	n/a
2002	647	32.9	19.7	63.7
2003	647	32.9	19.7	63.7
2004	617	31.0	19.9	65.5
2005	589	31.1	18.9	61.6
2006	554	24.5	22.6	58.8
2007	318	16.6	19.2	66.4
2008	371	18.6	19.9	62.5
2009	371	18.6	19.9	67.4
2010	381	20.7	18.4	70.3
2011	354	20.7	17.1	61.9
2012	380	19.6	19.2	46.6
2013	359	19.2	18.6	71
2014	364	n/a	n/a	72.8
2015	362	24.0	15.0	74
2016	324	20.0	16.2	72.8
2017	312	17.8	17.5	72.1
2018	306	18.1	16.8	71.6
2019	348	18.4	18.8	68.7
2020	337	18.8	17.8	67.7
2021	326	20.4	15.9	69
2022	278	17.3	16.0	39.2
2023	297	17.5	16.9	67
2024	287	18.6	15.4	71.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Fern Hill Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	571	24.0	23.7	0
1989	625	25.0	25.0	n/a
1990	548	26.0	21.0	0
1991	589	27.2	21.6	n/a
1992	564	29.0	19.4	n/a
1993	555	28.5	19.5	n/a
1994	558	29.0	19.2	n/a
1995	542	28.0	19.4	n/a
1996	542	28.0	19.4	n/a
1997	592	30.0	19.7	n/a
1998	595	30.7	19.4	n/a
1999	598	30.0	19.9	n/a
2000	604	26.2	23.1	n/a
2001	647	31.4	20.6	n/a
2002	647	32.9	19.7	63.7
2003	647	32.9	19.7	63.7
2004	617	31.0	19.9	65.5
2005	589	31.1	18.9	61.6
2006	554	24.5	22.6	58.8
2007	318	16.6	19.2	66.4
2008	371	18.6	19.9	62.5
2009	371	18.6	19.9	67.4
2010	381	20.7	18.4	70.3
2011	354	20.7	17.1	61.9
2012	380	19.6	19.2	46.6
2013	359	19.2	18.6	71
2014	364	n/a	n/a	72.8
2015	362	24.0	15.0	74
2016	324	20.0	16.2	72.8
2017	312	17.8	17.5	72.1
2018	306	18.1	16.8	71.6
2019	348	18.4	18.8	68.7
2020	337	18.8	17.8	67.7
2021	326	20.4	15.9	69
2022	278	17.3	16.0	39.2
2023	297	17.5	16.9	67
2024	287	18.6	15.4	71.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

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